[itisravi]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

Luckily found this wonderful ol'school cycling (repair) shop. The owner (on the left) was a wonderful cheerful person who laughingly scolded me on why would I ride my 'expensive' road bike on a rainy day (the whole cycle & my back was baked with a layer of mud) and personally repaired my puncture

Nice pics Ninja. Did the puncture shop have a patch size small enough for the road tube? Or did he cut the bigger one to size? I have a hard time patching 25c tubes. If I cut the MTB tube sized patches that are usually available in puncture shops, it is somewhat difficult to make it stick after applying the rubber solution. I have started swapping tubes on rides now and come home and fix the puncture on the old tube. Takes a lot of effort to make it stick even with the 25mm round patches since the tube is so thin.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by itisravi

Nice pics Ninja. Did the puncture shop have a patch size small enough for the road tube? Or did he cut the bigger one to size? I have a hard time patching 25c tubes. If I cut the MTB tube sized patches that are usually available in puncture shops, it is somewhat difficult to make it stick after applying the rubber solution.

The trick when making a patch out of an old tube (or cutting down small a larger readymade patch) is to bevel the circumference edge thin. If you cut it straight (scissor perpendicular) then the patch will have a sharp edge straight up from the surface of the tube that will then have a tendency to peel off and not merge with the rubber of the tube over time.

If on the other hand you cut wth the scissors at an angle, then the sloping edge of the patch will glue on and hold much better, merge with the tube rubber and form a bond that will not start peeling up and in from the edges.

Let me try and show it diagrammatically -

This is wrong |___

This is correct \___

Cheers, Doc

[itisravi]

Originally Posted by ebonho

The trick when making a patch out of an old tube (or cutting down small a larger readymade patch) is to bevel the circumference edge thin. If you cut it straight (scissor perpendicular) then the patch will have a sharp edge straight up from the surface of the tube that will then have a tendency to peel off and not merge with the rubber of the tube over time.

If on the other hand you cut wth the scissors at an angle, then the sloping edge of the patch will glue on and hold much better, merge with the tube rubber and form a bond that will not start peeling up and in from the edges.

Let me try and show it diagrammatically -

This is wrong |___

This is correct \___

Cheers, Doc

Thanks doc, I usually cut the premade circular patch (else its too big for the tube), so I guess the direction does not make a difference:


The problem is that the yellow circumference is thin and bonds well with the rubber cement but the black portion is somewhat thicker and doesn't stick as much.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by itisravi

Thanks doc, I usually cut the premade circular patch (else its too big for the tube), so I guess the direction does not make a difference:
Attachment 2235051

The problem is that the yellow circumference is thin and bonds well with the rubber cement but the black portion is somewhat thicker and doesn't stick as much.

I understand what you mean. And it does make a difference. Even the pre-made vulcanizing Patches as in your photo are designed as I have described. I.e. sloping towards the circumference edge.

So if you cut straight inside that edge, you will still get a straight up edge that will peel.

You need to cut sideways slice style. Try it.

Cheers, Doc

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by itisravi

Nice pics Ninja. Did the puncture shop have a patch size small enough for the road tube? Or did he cut the bigger one to size?

Thanks. To be honest, I did not observe how he did it. But whatever he did, he definitely did a good job - the fix lasted well, even on a long ride today.

I have a hard time patching 25c tubes. If I cut the MTB tube sized patches that are usually available in puncture shops, it is somewhat difficult to make it stick after applying the rubber solution. I have started swapping tubes on rides now and come home and fix the puncture on the old tube. Takes a lot of effort to make it stick even with the 25mm round patches since the tube is so thin.

Same experience on the 25c. But thankfully (more due to the Schwalbe tires than anything) I have faced only 2 punctures on my 25c tubes over ~5 years of riding. Both thankfully were repaired by a cycle shop that was within a km of the puncture.

I generally carry an extra tube when I take my Cannondale; but till date I choose not to on the road bike thanks to the puncture-proof tires but I guess eventually I'll have to start doing that here too.

Originally Posted by itisravi

Thanks doc, I usually cut the premade circular patch (else its too big for the tube),

Ditto. I do the same even for the 32c tires on my Cannondale.

Originally Posted by ebonho

You need to cut sideways slice style. Try it.

Cheers, Doc

Thanks doc - will remember that next time!

[ninjatalli]

Route: JP Nagar - Outer Ring Road - Kengeri - Thippagondanahalli Dam - Manchanabele - Mysore highway - Kengeri - Outer Ring Road - JP Nagar (Link)

Distance: ~90 kms

Difficulty: Moderate

Details: Thippagondanahalli dam was one on my eyesight that was close to the Manchanabele dam that I had ridden two months ago. Plus on that ride, I really hadn't been able to go around the huge reservoir so the itch was always there.

So hence set a plan to try both. The route to Thippagondanahalli was through some inner roads off the Mysore highway that went over multiple rolling hills. It turned out to be a downer as the reservoir wasn't that accessible unless I went ahead of the dam to the other side which I wasn't interested.

So I decided to head south adjacent a small stream of water let out from the dam that ended into the Manchanabele reservoir.



This was a proper dirt trail that went through some mushy areas thanks to the recent rains but the Schwalbe tires took it all in without much constraints. The route was a beautiful one otherwise with hardly a soul around.



Passed through several contributary streams that created their own mini waterfalls - a few of them called for quick photoshootouts.



Finally as I started reaching the resorvoir, the road turned into a tarred one, although it was in pretty bad shape. But I wasn't complaining for sure.



And finally, the dam came in sight. The last time I had been here on Independence Day, I was on the other side of the dam and wondering back then how to reach the reservoir.



After a short climb up the hill, I reached the main road where I took this snapshot of the route I had come through. If you look closely, the brown road on the right is the route I had taken over the last hour.



The route back towards Mysore highway and Kengeri later was a known one and through proper roads, so picked up the pace and reached back into the city just before the noon sun was up.


Interesting 8 figured route that I never realized I had done till I saw this

[AutoIndian]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

Route: JP Nagar - Outer Ring Road - Kengeri - Thippagondanahalli Dam - Manchanabele - Mysore highway - Kengeri - Outer Ring Road - JP Nagar (Link)

Distance: ~90 kms

Difficulty: Moderate

Going going Ninja. Only after looking at the map did I realize that even Bengaluru is dotted with so many dams/ water bodies all around. Are you doing all these trails solo or someone accompanies you? Also take a bow from me for daring to take your roadie to bad/ non-existing roads. I wouldn't have dared so.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

Going going Ninja. Only after looking at the map did I realize that even Bengaluru is dotted with so many dams/ water bodies all around. Are you doing all these trails solo or someone accompanies you? Also take a bow from me for daring to take your roadie to bad/ non-existing roads. I wouldn't have dared so.

Oh there's lots more hidden in the bylanes across highways and rural areas that hardly get noticed plus several have been 'taken' over due to land grabbing + low water levels.

I don't mind going alone - have gone with groups but then you have to adhere to their photo session and other breaks. Have a bunch of like-minded riders but currently one is preparing for an ultra marathon and another one has gone to his hometown, so mostly solo rides. Had tried grouping with tbhp riders in Bangalore but all of them are located in exactly other end of the city and don't see any of them venturing on rides other than their section of the city while I prefer to go exploring.

As for the non-existing roads, that's always been a norm for me since last ~6 years, irrespective of the bike I ride I don't really subscribe to the generally observed notion of worshipping the road bikes over hybrids & MTBs. For me, all are the same and more aligned to the same purpose (riding). As long as the tires can handle them, why not!

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

As for the non-existing roads, that's always been a norm for me since last ~6 years, irrespective of the bike I ride I don't really subscribe to the generally observed notion of worshipping the road bikes over hybrids & MTBs. For me, all are the same and more aligned to the same purpose (riding). As long as the tires can handle them, why not!

Loved the photo of the Colnago all muddy. Classic!

I see that your saddle is also pretty advanced down the sane path as mine - upper layer of the rexine cracking and splintering away.

Initially I made the mistake of trying to patch the (then) few areas with black insulation tape. But when the tape gets old. And starts peeling, to my horror it takes the upper later of the rexine with it!

So now I just leave the saddle to weather naturally. Eventually I guess I will have it done up by a good seat maker in Nana Peth. The main concern area being the central cutout contoured channel.

Cheers, Doc

[ninjatalli]

Route: JP Nagar - Silk board - Hosur - Kelavarapalli Dam - Bagalur - Sarjapur - Outer Ring Road - JP Nagar (Link)

Distance: ~90 kms

Difficulty: Moderate

Details: I heard about Kelavarapalli dam some time back on a cycling group as an easy accessible dam close to the multi-lane Bangalore - Hosur highway (~10 kms from the highway) but never got around doing that exactly because of the heavy traffic on that highway.

Two weeks ago, I decided to bite the bullet and headed out on a rainy day towards Hosur. Unsurprisingly even on a Sunday early morning (~6am) with some drizzly rains, there was a decent amount of traffic on the highway.

Soon reached Hosur and head off the highway towards the dam. About ~10 kms of riding through a sleepy Hosur town, I finally reach the outskirts of the city limits when the reservoir appears over the horizon.



The dam had visiting hours that started about ~2 hours later but surprisingly there were no guards or any crowd at all. I happily get on to the dam and start walking ahead.



The dam was full to the brim and that was visible with the water levels almost reaching the top levels of the dam. After a very long time, I saw a reservoir that had very less garbage and loads of beautiful birds; many that I couldn't even figure out or had seen in the past.



One of the gates was kept open to allow the full outflow of water. It was quite majestic to stand over the gate - something that you only realize when you stand at that position.



I decide to take a few additional shots of the reservoir before calling it a day. Another young couple on a bike join me and I get the cue that it's probably time for the crowd to start arriving (and with them the security guards) so I head out back to the city.



Instead of going back via the highway, I take a more roundabout route via Bagalur and then later Sarjapur which is a much better route till I reach the dreadful Sarjapur road in Bangalore, which is in a pitable state due to various repairs and work going on the road creating traffic jams.


Route to the dam

I finally reach back home by 11 am, much earlier than my usual timelines on these weekend rides. Thankfully the rain which had given me a reprise over the last 2+ hours, starts in full flow when I reach home.

Originally Posted by ebonho

Loved the photo of the Colnago all muddy. Classic!
...
So now I just leave the saddle to weather naturally. Eventually I guess I will have it done up by a good seat maker in Nana Peth. The main concern area being the central cutout contoured channel.

Cheers, Doc

Thanks Doc. Wasn't aware of that option to be honest; I was planning to get a replacement eventually over the years, but delaying it as I love the original Colnago branded seat.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

Thanks Doc. Wasn't aware of that option to be honest; I was planning to get a replacement eventually over the years, but delaying it as I love the original Colnago branded seat.

This is a saddle that has been redone by one such local motorcycle seat cover guy. That's how I got the idea. Saddles are not cheap. Especially not the good ones. And once you find a saddle that gets along well with your ass, it makes a lot of sense to me to try and extend its life any way I can.



Cheers, Doc

[kmadhok]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

Route: JP Nagar - Silk board - Hosur - Kelavarapalli Dam - Bagalur - Sarjapur - Outer Ring Road - JP Nagar

This was my first Gran Fondo destination. And also my first solo 100km Link. Infact, it was a 100km only because I overshot the turn and had to come back.

Did it once more with a friend this year.

My latest 100kms was last week, almost a 99% on OMR (Old Madras Road), (good road for a road cycle). Was checking if I had what it takes to do a 100kms again and with some speed. Link

I don't mind going alone - have gone with groups but then you have to adhere to their photo session and other breaks. ....., so mostly solo rides. Had tried grouping with tbhp riders in Bangalore but all of them are located in exactly other end of the city and don't see any of them venturing on rides other than their section of the city while I prefer to go exploring.

Am not much of a photographer. Our group size has been 2-4 for slow(15-16kmph) 50km rides, and 2 for faster (20kmph) upto 100km ride. Not much of photographers. We tend to ride within ourselves just making sure we look out for each other. If anytime you are looking for company.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by kmadhok

If anytime you are looking for company.

good to hear about your rides. Let's catch up in Jan. Also bhpian @itisravi is based out of the same area as you and he does similar long rides that side IIRC.

[ninjatalli]

Route: JP Nagar - Bannerghatta Road - Bannerghatta Park - Muninagara reservoir - Kanakapura Road - Outer Ring Road - JP Nagar (Link)

Distance: ~60 kms

Difficulty: Easy

Details: Inspite of living close to Bannerghatta national Park, I overlooked the park as well as the numerous lakes & reservoirs around the national park. Today I decided to head towards one of them, Muninagara reservoir, which was towards the southern part of the national park.

The ride through the forest area was nice in the morning with hardly any vehicles or people seen on the road. About 2 hours later I reached the lake and thankfully had only 2-3 early visitors like me and not the weekend hordes.





Inspite of summer, the reservoir had decent amount of water, a good sign for the next two months to come.



After a short halt, I decided to head back via the Kanakapura Road with a short breakfast halt on the way. Unfortunately the traffic had increased by then and I finally managed to get back home just a shy after 9.

[bblost]

I will restart cycling to work very soon.

They are going to inaugurate this awesome 22 km long and 4.5, wide cycle track on 15-August. It is safe and awesome with a roof that has solar panels on it.

I am feeling so excited like its going to be my first day at school or something.